Refrigerator latch



July 24, 1962 RS. LARSON REFRIGERATOR LATCH Fiied Aug. 10, 1960 W 1 a 11 a j 6F, 61% 8 m g w a 4 z z 5 1 2 nl 2 m 1 3 5 n/ z v 4 I 3 JEW/rzforRafe rZJ. Larsen. jjhwum #18 MS 1 ragga.

July 24, 1962 R. s. LARSON 3,045,465

REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed Aug. 10, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wms.

United States Patent O 3,045,465 REFRIGERATOR LATCH Robert S. Larsen,Loves Park, 11]., assignor to National Lock Co., Rockford, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 10, 1960, Ser. No. 48,726 3 Claims.(U. 70-153) -The present invention relates to a novel latch assembly andmore particularly to a novel latch for use on refrigerator doors toeffectively maintain the door in tight sealing engagement with thecabinet, and having a positive locking means to prevent unauthorized orundesired entry into the cabinet.

By providing the latch assembly with a positive locking arrangement,locking the latch with the door closed denies access to the interior ofthe refrigerator to all who do not have the requisite key so as toprevent unauthorized entry. Such locking also prevents a child frombeing trapped within the interior whether the refrigerator is used orunused, thus providing an important safety feature. Furthermore,assuming the refrigerator door is intended to remain open, this may beassured by turning the key to locked position which prevents closing andlatching of the door.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of arefrigerator door latch with a novel tumbler locking means to blockopening movement of the operating handle or lever for the latch boltassembly and thus lock the latch to prevent opening of the door. Thelock is key operated and is capable of being turned through an arc ofapproximately 180 between a locked and anunlocked position. In thedisclosed embodiment, the tumbler lock includes an extension on itsrotatable plug body having an open notch or keyway in one side thereofextending to the end thereof for entrance of a shoulder of areciprocable spring retainer plate connected to the latch bolt assemblyduring unlatching movement when the tumbler lock is in its unlockedposition.

The present invention further comprehends a novel refrigerator latch andtumbler lock assembly providing a positive locking means for retainingthe latch in locked position whereby to control in a novel manner thelatching and unlatching of the closure of a refrigerator cabinet.

The present invention further comprehends a novel reciprocable springretainer plate having a cut-out portion and a shoulder which cooperateswith the plug of the tumbler lock to limit movement of the latch boltassembly, said plate and latch bolt assembly being operativelyconnected.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,eliiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear andare inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the latch and lock assembly and thekeeper attached to the door and cabinet of a refrigerator, a portion ofthe latch housing being broken away.

PEG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the latch, lockand keeper assembly taken on the line 22 of FIG, 1 and viewed in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the assembly taken on theline 3-3 of FIG. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional View of the assembly taken on theline 44 of FIG. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings in whichisdisclosed an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the novellatch and lock assembly is shown as mounted on the edge of a door orclosure for a refrigerator or other cabinet 11. The

3,645,465 Patented July 24, 1962 latch and lock assembly includes ahousing or casting 12 secured to the edge of the door 10 by suitablesecuring means such as bolts 13. A keeper assembly 14 is secured to thecabinet 11 by bolts or suitable securing means 15 and extends into theinterior of the housing 12 when the door 10 is moved to its closedposition. A handle or operating lever 16 has its lower or actuating endpivotally mounted in the housing 12 by means of a transverse pivot pin17 bridging the spaced sides 18 and 19 of the housing and extendingthrough an opening 21 in the housing with the handle extending upwardlyto be grasped by the operator when the door is to be opened.

A suitable spring 22 is coiled around the pivot pin 17 with a short end23 bearing against the internal surface 24 of the handle 16 and a longend 25 bearing against a shoulder in a recess-26 in the housing 10, thespring 22 biasing the handle 16 to its upright inoperative position. Thelower portion of the handle 16 terminates in a bifurcated end 27 (FIG.2) projecting into the housing through the opening 21.

A rocking latch bolt 28 is pivotally mounted on a fixed pin 29 withinthe housing 12, and provided with a roller 31 rotatably mounted on atransverse pin 32 secured to and bridging the spaced parallel arms 33 ofthe latch bolt 28. A connecting wall portion 34 connects the arms 33adjacent to the pivot pin 29, The roller 31 is mounted to engage thekeeper '35 of the keeper assembly 14 which further includes a channelledbracket 36 adjustably mounted on the cabinet 11 by bolts or securingmeans 15 passing through elongated openings 37. A slot 38 allows passageof an adjustment screw 39 received in a tapped opening in the keeper 35.The keeper is shown mounted in a channel 41, with engaging surfaces ofthe keeper and the channel having complementary serrations 42 to holdthe keeper locked in adjusted position once the adjustment screw 39 hasbeen tightened.

Means for operating the bolt, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, includes areciprocating spring retainer plate 43. An opening 44 at the forward orlower end of the plate loosely receives a pivot pin 45 secured to andextending between the arms 33 of the latch bolt assembly 28. Theopposite end of the plate contains an elongated, longitudinallyextending slot 46 which loosely receives or accommodates a pin 47secured to and extending between the spaced sides 18 and 19 of thehousing 12. A third opening 48 in the plate 43 is disposed on a linebetween the openings 44 and 46 and through which projects a retainerroller pin 49 the ends of which extend'beyond the sides of the plate 43with these ends each carrying a roller 51, said rollers 51, 51 disposedin contacting relation with the bifurcations 52'and 53 of the end 27 ofthe handle 16.

A coil or compression spring 54 is mounted on and encompasses theslotted upper or rear arm 55 of the spring retainer plate 43 and bearsagainst the pin 47 and a shoulder 59. The slot 46- allows a limitedamount of reciprocal movement by the spring retainer plate, the spring54 constantly urging the plate to its forward or latching position. Theplate 43 between the openings 44 and 43 has a relatively deep recess 56between spaced shoulders 57 and 58 with the shoulder 57 coacting withthe tumbler lock to be described later, and the shoulder 58 beingdisposed between the bifurcations 52 and 53 of the handle 16 throughoutthe pivotal movement of said handle.

An opening 59 is bored through the housing 12 direct ly below theopening 21 for the handle 16, and counterbored to provide a retainingshoulder 61 for the tumbler lock assembly 62. Opposing slots 63 and 6 4are formed in opposite sides of the opening 59 to accommodate movementof the tumblers of the lock assembly 62.

The lock assembly 62 includes a plug member 65 having an internal slot66 to accommodate a key 67 and slots 68 for the tumblers 69. Springsnormally bias the tumblers 69 to extend beyond the plug member 65 intoone of the two slots 63 or 64 in the housing 12. The plug member 65 isenlarged at its outer end 71 to provide an external flange 72 abuttingthe shoulder 61 in the counterbore to properly locate the assembly 62 inthe housing 12. An annular groove 73 is formed in the plug member 65intermediate its ends to receive a spring retaining ring 74 to hold theassembly 62 in the housing 12. The inner end of the plug 65 extendinginto the housing 12 and beyond the groove 73 has a longitudinal,open-end slot or keyway 75 formed in one side thereof to conformablyreceive therein the shoulder 57 of the spring retainer plate 43 whenaligned therewith by turning of the key and tumbler to unlockedposition. A lug 76 on the circumference of the plug member 65 andaligned with the slot or keyway 75 is adapted to engage a stop at 77 andlimit rotation of the plug member to an arc of approximately 180.

When the proper key 67 is withdrawn from the lock assembly 62, thetumblers 69 will be extended beyond the circumference of the plug 65into the slots 63 and 64 to prevent rotation of the lock assembly 62and, since the slot 75 and shoulder 57 are out of alignment, the closureremains locked. When the proper key 67 is inserted into the slot 66, thecontour of the key will retract the tumblers 69 until they are totallywithin the slots 68 and confines of the plug 65, whereupon the plug 65and key 67 can be rotated through an arc of approximately 180. Thelength of the arc of rotation of the plug 65 is limited by engagement ofthe lug 76 with a shoulder on the stops 77 formed in the opening 59.

In unlocked position (FIG. 3), the slot 75 is aligned with the shoulder57 on the spring retainer plate 43 and said shoulder enters the slot 75during reciprocating movement of the plate 43 and the latch boltassembly 28 by pivotal movement of the handle when pulled out-1 wardly.In any other position, the shoulder 57 is blocked from moving byengagement with inner edge 78 of the plug 65. Thus in the unlockedposition, the spring retainer plate 43 may be reciprocated by pivotalmovement of the handle 16 which causes movement of the plate 43 throughthe rollers 51, 51 and the bifurcated end 27 of the handle, or byengagement of the roller 31 with the inclined surface 79 of the keeper35 during closing movement of the refrigerator door 10. In the lockedposition, opening movement of the handle 16, the spring retainer plate43 and the latch bolt assembly 28 is prevented by engagement of theshoulder 57 with the inner edge 78 of plug 65 The rollers 51, 51 and 31are preferably of nylon having wear resistant and lubricating propertiesto assure long life in contact with the cooperating metal parts.

While there is shown a preferred embodiment, it is understood that thesame is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehends suchequivalents inherent in this disclosure and the claims.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A latch mechanism of the type disclosed having a keeper, comprising alatch housing, a pivoted latch bolt in said housing and adapted toengage said keeper, said latch bolt including spaced sides connected byan intermediate wall portion, keeper engaging means secured between saidspaced sides adjacent one end of the bolt, means adjacent the oppositeend of the bolt pivotally mounting said bolt in the latch housing, avertically reciprocable plate in said housing and pivotally mounted atone end to the latch bolt intermediate the ends thereof, said platehaving a recessed portion adjacent said pivotal mounting forming ashoulder, an elongated slot remote from said pivotal mounting and anopening intermediate its length, a pin projecting through saidintermediate opening with each end carrying a roller, an operatinghandle having one end abutting said rollers for lifting andreciprocating said plate, a mounting pin projecting through said slotand secured to said housing, spring means biasing the plate and latchbolt into their latched position, and a rotatable tumbler lock having acylindr'ic al plug movable between a locked and an unlocked position,said plug having a part on its inner end projecting into the recessedportion of said plate and having a slot movable to a position alignedwith and receiving said shoulder on the reciprocable plate to releasethe handle, plate and latch bolt for unlatching, and when the slot insaid part is moved out of alignment with said shoulder, said plugprevents unlatching movement of said plate.

2. A latch mechanism of the type disclosed having an adjustable latchkeeper, comprising a latch housing, a latch bolt in said housing andincluding spaced sides connected by an intermediate wall portion, keeperengaging means secured between said spaced sides adjacent one end of thebolt, means adjacent the opposite end of the bolt pivotally mountingsaid bolt in said housing, a vertically movable plate in said housingand pivotally mounted adjacent one end of the latch bolt intermediatethe ends thereof, said plate provided with a recessed portion adjacentsaid latch bolt having a locking shoulder and an elongated slot at itsopposite end, a mounting pin projecting through said slot, a pin carriedby and projecting through said plate intermediate its ends, rollersmounted on each end of said last mentioned pin, spring means biasingsaid plate and latch bolt to their latching position, an operating leverpivotally mounted in said housing and adapted to vertically move saidplate against the force exerted by said spring means, said lever havinga handle at one end and projections at the other engaging said rollersfor actuating said latch bolt, said housing having an opening below saidhandle, a tumbler lock housing in said opening, a plug on said lockprovided with an inner extension having an open-ended slot therein, saidplug and its inner extension adapted to receive the locking shoulder ofthe vertically movable plate when said slot is aligned with the shoulderto permit release of the latch bolt from the keeper and when said slotis out of alignment with said shoulder the shoulder abuts the extensionon said plug and prevents release of the latch bolt, and means to limitthe arc of rotation of the plug of the tumbler lock.

3. A latch mechanism of the type disclosed having a keeper, comprising alatch housing, a latch bolt pivotally mounted in said housing and havingkeeper engaging means, a vertically reciprocable plate in said housingpivotally connected at its lower end to the latch bolt and at its upperend provided with a slot, said plate having an opening and an elongatedrecess spaced therefrom and defining a shoulder at its lower end, a pinprojecting through said opening with each end carrying a roller, anoperating handle having one end abutting said rollers for lifting andreciprocating said plate, a mounting pin projecting through said slotand secured to said housing, spring means biasing the plate and latchbolt into their latched position, and a rotatable tumbler lock having acylindrical plug provided with an extension projecting into the recessof said plate, said extension having a slot for receiving said shoulderwhen said plate is elevated with said tumbler lock in one position, andsaid extension providing an abutment against elevating said plate whensaid tumbler lock is in another position with the slot of said extensionbeing out of alignment with said shoulder.

Burke Sept. 16, 1941 Anderson May 25, 1954

